Eels, Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London

Channelling Wes Anderson’s ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ in matching Adidas tracksuits, aviators and sweatbands, Eels take to the stage at Shepherd’s Bush Empire with an exhilarating rendition of ‘Cancer for the Cure’, to rapturous reception.

A Beatles cover – ‘Let it Be’ – provides an entertaining introduction for E who is on top showmanship form throughout (‘That’s not copyrighted, right? That’s our song!’), mimicking a guitar solo in ‘Dog Faced Boy’ on the maraca, and responding to some minor technical glitches with ‘Good thing this is happening in an off-shoot town like London’.

Anyone expecting a dose of despair from the famously forlorn band are surprised; with a setlist drawing heavily from the band’s latest (and tenth) album ‘Wonderful, Glorious’, upbeat swagger and cautiously uplifting melodies reign. ‘Kinda Fuzzy”s fevered riffing from bass player Koool G Murder and ‘Go Knuckles’, a showcase for drummer Knuckles, also prove the band isn’t just about their frontman. ‘Peach Blossom’, its debt to The Stranglers’ ‘Peaches’ evident, is a dizzying buzz of bass.

The night wouldn’t have been complete without a taste of elegiac melancholy and a reminder of darker days with the sombre first encore of ‘Climbing to the Moon’. But celebration is the order of the day as, Adidas stripes aglow, an exhilaratingly mashed-up ‘My Beloved Monster’ and ‘Mr E’s Beautiful Blues’ affirm, ‘God damn right it’s a beautiful day!’.

Following Eels’ tradition of playing late (a few years ago Everett and the band came back on stage to a half-empty hall in their pyjamas), the audience know not to leave after the lights came up and a final encore ‘Open My Present’ and ‘Go EELS!’, are played as roadies go about their business around them.

Although a bit of introspection and melancholy is always welcome, tonight proves that sometimes it’s just good to rock out.